Aizen's spiritual pressure didn't fluctuate at all—his control was extraordinary, and his Shikai was executed as calmly as ever.
"This is… Kyoka Suigetsu?"
Gusion admired the blade in Aizen's hand, its surface reflecting the moonlight, mysterious and elegant.
He didn't sense anything strange and wasn't sure if he was under hypnosis.
He glanced at his personal status, discovering for the first time a benefit of the Endspace system.
He noticed a new negative status on his character detail screen.
[Negative Status: Complete Hypnosis]
[ The explorer is now under the complete hypnosis of Aizen Sosuke's Zanpakuto Kyoka Suigetsu. All five senses are under control.]
[Note: Anyone who witnesses Kyoka Suigetsu's release will be forever its prisoner. Once this happens, whenever Aizen releases his Zanpakuto, he can manipulate your perceptions at will.]
[Note: This status can be removed by the wielder of Kyoka Suigetsu.]
"I won't show you the actual ability of my Zanpakuto, since it's just the two of us here. What I want to show you is the release process, and help you grasp the knack of Shikai."
Aizen held Kyoka Suigetsu horizontally in front of his face, the blade lit by moonlight. "Gusion-kun, what's your biggest problem with achieving Shikai?"
Gusion pondered, then decided to explain his situation. "I saw a purgatory…"
After some explanation, Aizen frowned slightly—he'd never heard of anyone seeing such strange visions in their soul.
"You're saying that… the being that might be your Zanpakuto rejected you and drove you out?"
Aizen asked.
Gusion nodded. "It roared at me and blew me away with the wind—I couldn't resist at all."
He'd tried many times since, but strangely, he couldn't reach purgatory again—every resonance attempt only led to endless darkness.
"That could be your subconscious resisting…"
Aizen analyzed, "Normally, a Zanpakuto is part of your soul—a reflection of your own heart. If you're rejected, it's not the Zanpakuto refusing you, but you refuse to accept that power."
Gusion was confused. "Me? I'm resisting power?"
He thought this was odd. He was a martial arts fanatic, always seeking more power—why would he resist it?
Aizen nodded, frowning, feeling things were getting tricky. "You grew up in the Rukongai, right? Did you suffer any childhood trauma? Like… accidentally killing someone important to you?"
Gusion shook his head. Unlike Soul Society's slow-aging people, he'd only lived twenty years, and since he could remember, he'd been training with his master.
His master taught him the qualities of a warrior and many life lessons. He'd always controlled his power well and never bullied the weak.
As for killing someone by accident—it never happened. He had killed people, but not by accident; that was his intention.
"Then that's strange…"
Aizen mused, "Or maybe, something similar happened, but you forgot to avoid losing your mind?"
Gusion shook his head. "Impossible. I trust my memory. Sosuke, just help me find a way to reach my soul's depths again."
"If you want deep resonance, I could help. Maybe you're just too anxious, not relaxed enough to resonate. Have you heard of hypnosis therapy?"
Aizen asked.
Gusion looked at him oddly—Aizen sounded like a therapist talking to a patient. He was being treated as someone with psychological trauma.
Hypnosis therapy? I'm already hypnotized by you!
Wait—hypnosis?
Gusion's eyes lit up; he realized Aizen's ability might be very helpful.
Aizen was a genius—he knew the principles of Zanpakuto awakening and the tricks involved. If he used hypnosis to guide Gusion into resonance, it might work!
"Sosuke, you know hypnosis?"
Gusion asked, playing along—he couldn't very well say, "I know your Kyoka Suigetsu's true power, just hypnotize me already!"
"I know a little. Get into resonance posture and relax."
Aizen sat cross-legged and faced Gusion, Kyoka Suigetsu across his knees.
Gusion didn't hesitate, sitting with his hand on his Asauchi.
"Now, watch my Zanpakuto. I'll swing it gently—just relax…"
Aizen pretended to guide Gusion step by step. "That's right. Now close your eyes and imagine you've entered your soul world…"
After that, Gusion couldn't hear Aizen anymore. He found himself back in his soul's depths, standing before the abyss.
He stepped forward, feeling weightless—hypnosis worked!
Soon, he was back in purgatory, standing before the cage.
The crimson door was open; the black demon silently met Gusion's gaze.
Those eyes carried too many emotions—anger, despair, mockery, loneliness, and a faint… longing.
In the next instant, a violent wind blew—before Gusion could ask the demon its name, he was swept away again.
"Gusion-kun, wake up!"
A familiar voice reached his ear. Gusion woke up, drenched in sweat, lying on his bed. Aizen was shaking him hard.
"Sosuke? What happened?"
Gusion felt a headache. Looking at the sky outside, it seemed nearly dawn, yet it felt like only a few minutes had passed since the hypnosis started.
"I don't know either."
Aizen was confused. "After I hypnotized you, you quickly fell asleep. At first, your spiritual pressure was stable, but then it grew wild, and you even started emitting a faint purple-black aura."
For Aizen, this hypnosis had gone far beyond anything he understood about the soul. He was only the guide, not able to see what Gusion experienced.
Based on his Zanpakuto knowledge, he thought that even if Gusion failed to awaken it, at worst he'd just not learn its name and would soon wake up.
But in reality, after entering that strange state, Gusion didn't wake for a long time. For the usually calm Aizen, this was unnerving.
Not that he cared much for Gusion, but because what they were doing was forbidden experimentation. If something happened to Gusion in the dorm, Aizen's secrets would be exposed, threatening his plans.